Forbidden Rice Pudding

Posted on | May 15, 2007 | 39 Comments |

Don’t let the name confuse you, it is not a forbidden pudding, it is a pudding made of Forbidden rice. I picked up this rice from the Asian store, just because I was intrigued by the name. Also because the packet had the following description:

Legend tells us that Forbidden rice was once grown exclusively for the Emperors of
China to enrich their health and ensure their longevity.

So that’s where the name came from, it was reserved for the Emperors. Well, I had to try it of course. The packet also mentioned the fragrant aroma, nutty taste, deep purple color and the nutritional value. After I got home I tried a Google search on Forbidden rice and found out that this is indeed a highly nutrient rice.

Forbidden Rice is rich in iron and considered a blood tonifier. Unlike other black
rice from Asia, it is not glutinous or rough and cooks in only 30 minutes to produce a superior flavor, texture, and color.

I remembered seeing a purple color rice pudding recipe on the crazy-delicious blog Writing at the Kitchen Table by Freya and Paul – one of the funniest food blogger couple I’ve seen. When I searched their site, I found that they used a rice called Nanjing Black Rice, but had very helpfully mentioned that it is known as Forbidden rice in the US. So without further hesitation I proceeded to make the rice pudding following Freya’s recipe.

Check out the original recipe here. I omitted the butter and used whole milk instead of skimmed. I also added some cardamom pods while cooking the rice. Freya and Paul paired this with mango sorbet, which I am sure would have gone wonderfully with this, but we had it with fresh mango pieces this time.

Even though I knew it was going to be purple after cooking, I didn’t expect the seemingly black rice to turn such a deep shade of purple! It really was a treat for the eyes and the taste buds. I expected it to have the same texture as black sticky rice, but it had a nutty crunch to it, and tasted wonderful.

I am sending this to The Spice Cafe for the Monthly Blog Patrol – Something Sweet hosted by adorable Coffee. The rules for the Blog Patrol is simple, based on the theme of the month, you have to cook something from the fellow bloggers posted recipes. Thanks Freya and Paul for the delicious treat!

Category: Desserts, Diary, Mango, Recipes, Rice

Pin It

Subscribe to RSS

Follow me on Facebook

Follow me on Twitter

Follow me on Pinterest

« « Chilli Chicken| Yam – Drumstick Curry » »

Comments

39 Responses to “Forbidden Rice Pudding”

sra
May 15th, 2007 @ 6:56 am
Reply

Hi Sig! Thanks for stopping by my blog. The colour of the Forbidden Rice dessert reminds me of chakra pongal tho’ that’s much lighter. And you seem to have captured the essence of chilli chicken as it’s made in so many hotels in the South – love that photo!
Nandita
May 15th, 2007 @ 7:05 am
Reply

Loooks SOOO exotic my dearie…and the contrast with mangoes looks terrific- first when I read just the title, i thought It is so RICH thats why you’ve named it forbidden!

I would love to get my hands on a pack of that rice! Next are you gonna make a biriyani with that – will turn out a gorgeous colour;)
Coffee
May 15th, 2007 @ 7:43 am
Reply

I am drooling of the pic dear!!!! And blushing with your seet words.

Thanks for this lively entry

I agree with nandita….. biryani will turn out with a wonderful colour!!!
Sia's Corner
May 15th, 2007 @ 8:48 am
Reply

my goodness…. very exotic and dramatic colour… purple with golden mangoes, what a contrast. i remember my amma having this combination saree;) he he he…
Richa
May 15th, 2007 @ 11:51 am
Reply

hey sig, that looks so exotic! what a nice find! the stuff that goes into it is pretty yummy as well, ginger and all…
my brain works no different, if it is forbidden it will be tried
Asha
May 15th, 2007 @ 12:03 pm
Reply

Forbidden rice,eh? Why? The King didn’t want his subjects to be healthy,just his royal backside?:P
Looks great though.I just tried Brown rice,loved it.I should get this too.There are so many we don’t try!
Freya and Paul
May 15th, 2007 @ 12:04 pm
Reply

Yours looks even better than mine! Actually, my mangos weren’t very ripe so I’m sure they weren’t as sweet as yours!
It really is a great dish though and I love that Forbidden Rice! Glad you were inspired!
bee
May 15th, 2007 @ 12:55 pm
Reply

i love forbidden rice. this is a great way to prepare it.
Sandeepa
May 15th, 2007 @ 1:35 pm
Reply

You are on a roll Sig, one delicacy after the other. This one sure looks exotic
Mishmash !
May 15th, 2007 @ 2:39 pm
Reply

Sig, when I see some of ur pics, I wanted to use one particular word but then I wasnt sure so I used ‘glamorous most of the time and this time I cant help myself saying this; those mango slices with that rice pudding look quite sexy So from here onwards, U should know that glamorous is a euphemism for something else

Shn
Ramya's Mane Adige
May 15th, 2007 @ 3:48 pm
Reply

Hey, this dish looks beautiful!!! I’m sure it tasted equally good!!
DEEPA
May 15th, 2007 @ 4:19 pm
Reply

very very different dessert …very yummy and tasty ….i wish i could take this plate away from you …
Swapna
May 15th, 2007 @ 4:27 pm
Reply

This looks so inviting..Great pics, Sig! And ofcoz, if it’s forbidden, then it’s the first thing we ought to try:))
TheCooker
May 15th, 2007 @ 7:11 pm
Reply

Ohh so exotic!
If it is forbidden, I have to give it a try.
indosungod
May 15th, 2007 @ 11:24 pm
Reply

Forbidden Rice! Pray Why? the rice pudding looks so yummy. grabilicious!
musical
May 15th, 2007 @ 11:46 pm
Reply

Rice may be forbidden, but with such gorgeous pics, this pudding SHOUL NOT be forbidden Now give me my bowl of pudding .

Nice granish with magoes there!
Cynthia
May 16th, 2007 @ 1:36 am
Reply

Looking good Sig, as Nadita said, exotic. I particularly like the name of the post – it is bound to attract
Roopa
May 16th, 2007 @ 2:19 am
Reply

looks fabulous Sig, here they make a similar pudding with this rice called as BurBur with coconut milk. It is like one meal when i go out atleast i can find this other than looking for vegetarian foods.

i did not have any success for biryani but porridge type of cooking this rice works well.
reena
May 16th, 2007 @ 6:39 am
Reply

sig, that color is fabulous. is this something like our naadan ari? i am sick so i can’t even drool on such things. having hot soup at the moment. that gorgeous purple color is tempting. i love the name -forbidden. anything forbidden is tempting
MeltingWok
May 16th, 2007 @ 9:49 am
Reply

Back home, my mom usually fixed this black sticky rice with coconut milk, just like this one. Believe it a not, glutinous rice is gluten free, isn’t it great ? Nice one, Sig ! Btw, you must be a big mango fan hehe cheers !:)
Sharmi
May 16th, 2007 @ 12:53 pm
Reply

I have tasted this rice at my friends place. but didnt know so many facts about it. Thanks for telling me, will buy some. but what else can be made out of it?
Anita
May 16th, 2007 @ 12:58 pm
Reply

A very dear friend sent me a pack of black rice last month – now I know what I am going to do with it!

This is a stunner – and with the mango season in full blast, just the thing!
trupti
May 16th, 2007 @ 4:14 pm
Reply

Hi Sig!
how have you been? Haven’t been here in ages…about time I came!
That rice pudding looks gorgeous with the mangoes…what a great entry!

trupti
Susan
May 16th, 2007 @ 9:25 pm
Reply

I would have bought it too, and I pride myself on mot being an impulse shopper! Some names are just too appealing. As is this dessert! Beautiful colors and flavors, Sig!
Sig
May 17th, 2007 @ 3:33 am
Reply

Sra, welcome… and thanks… the color was actually deep purple, though I don’t think the picture captured it…

Nandita, lol, I knew Forbidden Rice Pudding was going to be a fun title… Biryani or Pulao will be great with this, I need to make something beautiful with this

Coffee, thanks for this great event… the most easiest event to participate in

Sup You are right, this is a big color combo in India, I think even I had a salwar in purple-yellow combination

Richa , lol me too girl, the name really caught my attention and had to have it.
Sig
May 17th, 2007 @ 3:37 am
Reply

Asha , lol… the king with the big fat ass… Unfortunately this was too healthy for him, so guess he wanted his back side to remain thin …

Freya, thanks for this wonderful recipe… I’d have no clue what to do with it otherwise!

Bee, if you have more forbidden rice recipes, please post it, I need to figure out what to do with the rest of the rice..

Sandeepa, I didn’t have to do much here, it is just an exotic looking rice

Shn lol, thanks girl… you don’t ever have to senser yourself here… Sexy is always welcome
Sig
May 17th, 2007 @ 3:40 am
Reply

Ramya, Deepa, thanks!

Swapna, Cooker, my feelings exactly… gotta try anything named forbidden… nice marketing scheme to take our money, eh?

Indo… Thanks!

Musie, the pudding is not forbidden for you, you are always welcome to a bowl anytime

Cynthia thanks.. I was thinking of calling it black rice pudding, but thought forbidden will be a little more catchy
Sig
May 17th, 2007 @ 3:46 am
Reply

Roopa, are you talking about the black sticky rice? That sounds like the one for porridge, this one is actually not sticky at all… I was thinking of that too when I first saw it, but it turned out to be this nutty crunchy rice…

Reena, oh sorry to hear that, hope you feel better soon… … This is not like any ari I’ve ever had, the color itself is so out of this world, and tastes very nutty… u gotta try it sometime!

MeltingWok, I was surprized to hear that glutinous rice is gluten free too… But I think forbidden rice is different from black glutinous rice though, atleast that is what my research showed, since I don’t think you can make sticky rice with this. And yes, I am a big Mango fan… I guess most Indians are…

Sharmi, I don’t know yet, but since I have more than three-fourth of the packet left, I will surely find a recipe for it and will post it too
Sig
May 17th, 2007 @ 3:50 am
Reply

Anita, that is nice to have such good friends …
I get it you show-off, you get great mangos there… no need to rub it in any chance you get :>D

Trupti, thanks for stopping by things are going great as you can see Enjoy the summer!

Susan, yeah, it only takes something as small as a clever name to get us to spend the money .. at least this was a good find.
Mandira
May 17th, 2007 @ 7:40 pm
Reply

the forbidden rice has this gorgeous color… the pudding looks amazing. Nice idea to pair it with mangoes. I’ve been thinking of this for a while. Now i see this infront of me…
Garrett
May 17th, 2007 @ 8:02 pm
Reply

I’m intrigued by the black rice. I def. want to try it!
Sig
May 17th, 2007 @ 11:36 pm
Reply

Mandira, Garrett, the forbidden rice really is worth a try!
Kay
May 24th, 2007 @ 6:19 pm
Reply

Sig,

I believe this rice is also used in chettinad cuisine. I think it’s also called ‘kavunarisi’ meaning ‘rice grown for the governor’. Remember reading a recipe for this one in a chettinad cookbook..

I was under the impression that this rice came from burma where chettinad people traded. It’s nice to know more about this. Thanks!
Gerald (Jerry) Landis
November 23rd, 2007 @ 7:32 pm
Reply

Forbidden rice maybe I will find some in
the local health food store.

Blessings.
Chef Erik
March 8th, 2008 @ 5:08 pm
Reply

Never would have thought of this, I’m sure the creamy texture of forbidden rice would make this a hit. Thanks!
yarah
July 6th, 2008 @ 8:32 pm
Reply

Oh My How to I get this delicious looking recipe! I just subscribed, do I need to do anything else? Please let me know, I must make this recipe!!!!
Кирилл
November 26th, 2009 @ 11:55 pm
Reply

Блин… Действительно красиво написано! Все это так знакомо…и правдиво!
Chef Mehboob Nuggets
May 30th, 2010 @ 9:47 pm
Reply

Outstanding taste – for anyone who loves ginger, this taste is devine